Best friends
by yaoi.net
Summary: AU, after being killed in a wreck, Ivan returns to make sure Yao lies up to his promise of bestfriends forever.
1. Best friends part 1

Hello!~

I've decided to contribute to Rochu!

Anyway, this is a tweaked version of Robert D. San Souci's best friends from his book 'double dare to be scared'.

Disclaimer: I do not own Mr. Souci's story, nor do I own Hetalia, I do own the idea of mashing the two together.

Kaoru is Hong Kong

Yekaterina is Ukraine

Ivan is Russia

Yao is China

Natalia is Belarus

At 3:30 in the afternoon, Yao Wang unlocked the front door and let himself into the lower flat, where he lived with his brother. Kaoru was being tutored back at the school and wouldn't be home for at least another two hours.

Even though tomorrow, Friday, was the last day of school before Christmas break, Yao didn't feel particularly happy. The sky outside was gray and gloomy; the two-story house, on a dead-end street, seemed too quiet. His best friend, Ivan Braginski, had gone with his sisters back to Russia to be with relatives

For the holidays. The Braginski family lived in the flat above the Wangs, and Ivan and Yao had been best friends since the Wangs had moved in the year before.

The boys attended different schools though. Ivan went to the local elementary school; Yao went to St. Norberts, which meant a long walk to the other side of the city. But they had hit it off from the first, though Yao was small-boned and feminine looking, while Ivan was big and manly.

Most days Yao waited eagerly for the sound of Ivan's return from school, after his friend was finished doing whatever it was he did after school- Yao was not interested in the exact details.

It was never a problem knowing when Ivan was home. The other boy would slam the door and hurry upstairs, his feet thudding on the steps. When Kaoru was around he'd complain under his breath and glare at the ceiling. Ivan's sisters were small, frail looking young ladies. To Yao, it was a mystery how they were related to someone so big and loud. But he was glad for Ivan's bulk and booming voice whenever the played together or went to a movie: no one would bother them the way Yao was sometimes teased when he was on his own.

Ivan was the person he was closest to. He had been looking forward to spending a lot of time together over the holiday- until Ivan had told him "We're going to Moscow for Christmas, My бабушка lives there."

"you don't seem very happy aru," said Yao.

The other boy shrugged.

"maybe you could stay with Kaoru and I aru?" asked Yao hopefully.

Ivan shook his head "the family has to get together for our Рождественский праздник-"

Yao tilted his head as to signal that he didn't understand, Ivan explained, "It just means Christmas holiday"

So they exchanged Christmas gifts the day before the Braginski family took off. Yao gave Ivan a new pair of boots; Ivan had given him a Shitanny-chan doll, which Yao already had- but it didn't matter. To him, sharing gifts was a reminder of just how close they were.

"best friends forever aru" said Yao.

"best friends forever" Ivan repeated. Then he put his arm around Yao's shoulders, gave him a hug, and went upstairs to finish packing.

The next morning, before the sun was up, a still half-asleep Yao heard the neighbors' van start up and roll down the driveway from the garage. Yao knew Yekaterina was very punctual and planning to reach the airport within the next hour.

Now, alone in the totally empty building, Yao went into the kitchen, pulled a pop-tart out of the cabinet, and poured himself a glass of milk. He got out the Shitanny-chan doll Ivan had given him and started moving its stuffed limbs idly. He let the pastry heat in the microwave and was soon happily playing and eating, his loneliness momentarily forgotten.

Suddenly, he heard someone fumbling with a key at the front door lock of the upstairs flat. He wondered if a burglar was trying to rob the empty home. A chill went through him; he thought of calling his brother or dialing 911. Then the door opened and, a few seconds later, was slammed shut with all the force Ivan would give it. Next he hear footsteps trudging up the stairs- as heavy as his friend's but slow, tired-sounding, whereas Ivan always thundered up the up the steps. Who was it? Yao wondered. Anyone making so much noise couldn't be a thief. Could Ivan and his family have come back? Had the decided at the last minute against a visit to Russia? Maybe someone had gotten sick? He set the doll on the kitchen counter. Carrying his milk and a half-eaten pop-tart, he looked out the back window. There was no van in the driveway, no sign of anyone. From the living room, he saw that the Braginski van wasn't parked in front of the house, either. But now he could hear heavy footsteps heading down the hall to the bedroom at the back of the flat, the one that belonged to Ivan. His room was right above Yao's. Leaving his empty glass in the sink and licking a stray bit of strawberry filling of his fingertips, Yao walked back to his room. Now he could hear the feet overhead pacing in a circle. It had to be Ivan! Maybe his sisters had dropped him off and gone to run an errand.

Then he heard knocking on the floor above- Ivan's signal to come on up. Well, he'd find out the answer soon enough. And the day, though still overcast and threatening rain, seemed less gloomy now that Ivan was back.

Yao let himself out his own front door and rang the bell beside the adjoining door. After a minute, he heard the slow, heavy footsteps coming down the steep wooden stairs leading to the to the hallway above. Again, he was bothered that Ivan was moving so slowly. Maybe he really was sick. Through the lace curtains on the glass-paneled door, Yao recognized his friends hulking shape. Then Ivan yanked the door open, as he always did- as if not quite realizing his own strength.

"hi ," Yao said. "you didn't go to Russia after all aru." Ivan shrugged and stood back to let his friend into the little hall at the foot of the stairs. No lights were on, and the stairs were deeply shadowed so late on this gray afternoon. "you saving on electricity aru?" Yao teased.

Ivan shrugged again, Then, after a long time, he reached out and fumbled with the light switch, as if how to turn on the lights was something he'd forgotten how to do.

"you okay aru?" asked Yao.

In the light, Yao could see Ivan's eyes clearly, which looked dead and lifeless. His forehead and cheeks were damp. Yao wondered whether he had a fever.

The other boy nodded "fine."

"where are you sisters aru?"

A funny look passed across the other boys face. "gone."

"when will they be back aru?"

A final shrug. Then Ivan started upstairs, signaling Yao to follow. Yao did, puzzled by the way the other boy was walking- with the slow, painful steps of an old man. It was as though he were stopping and reminding himself how to climb each stair. Now Yao was sure his friend was sick with the flu or something.

Yekaterina must have gone for medicine- probably to the pharmacy downtown where they always shopped. It was surprising that Natalia didn't stay with the boy, but that was their business.

No lights were on upstairs, though skylights let in a watery grayness from outside. Uncomfortable with the gloom, Yao began snapping on lights. His friend, shuffling toward his own bedroom, didn't seem to notice or care.

When they reached his room, Ivan stopped in the middle and stared at his friend as though seeing him for the first time.

"what's up with you aru?" Yao asked "you're giving me a funny look, and it's weirding me out,. If you're sick, you should get in bed. Wait for your sisters to bring medicine aru."

"no time." the other boy said sadly. "it's dark and cold and lonesome. I don't want to be alone."

"then I'll wait until you sisters get back. But you should lie down aru."

At this, Ivan smiled- a strange, crooked smile that made Yao even more uneasy.

Ivan's bedroom was off the kitchen. Some brightness was coming through the doorway, because Yao had put on the lights there. But neither boy had turned on the bedroom light. Ivan was becoming just a shadow outlined by the fast-fading light from the room's corner windows- yet his skin seemed almost to glow. Yao reached for the light switch, but his friend grabbed his arm with unexpected speed.

"don't," Ivan said. "I like the dark when it's not lonely."

"fine, okay, but let loose of my wrist aru." said Yao.

"you're hurting me aru!" the circling fingers tightened.

"let loose aru!" Yao pleaded. "what are you trying to do aru!"

"best friends," said the other. "forever"

The smaller boy didn't say anything as he tried to twist free. But the other's grip held him as if he were handcuffed.

"you're sick," Yao said "you're not thinking right. Let loose aru!"

Al the time he was talking, he was straining to hear the sound of a van parking, the front door opening, footsteps of returning parents on the stairs.

Silence.

In the dark room, Ivan was just a darker shape now- a shadow to which Yao was painfully linked. The more he struggled, the more tightly Ivan held him. The smaller boy's eyes had begun to water from the pain.

"let me go aru." he begged through clenched teeth.

"I can't be alone in the dark and cold" said Ivan "you're my best friend."

"not if you keep hurting me aru." Yao said, getting angry.

The vise on his wrist tightened.

"best friends forever. Forever!"

The anger Yao was feeling suddenly turned into raw fear. With his free hand, he reached out frantically for the for the switch, found it, and flipped on the overhead light. The dazzling brightness confused Ivan momentarily. This caused him to loosen his grip long enough for Yao to twist free, though he nearly fell over, bumping into the wall. Not daring to pause, he blundered into the kitchen , slammed into the table, and knocked over the upset chair


	2. yay for real finals!

Note: sorry for the technical difficulty *cough* experiment gone wrong *cough*

So, also, the traffic stat reports on this thing is jacked, but I'm too lazy to fix them… but you're all wonderful~!

Hello!~

Im continuing the story now from where I left off.

Lets begin, shall we?

This part of the story is dedicated to 454g

And I checked the traffic, what's up to my peeps in the USA?

Sup to the people in Canada

How's it going to the English person

你好 to the wonderful people in China/ Hong Kong

obrigado pela leitura to the guy from Brazil

Thanks to the individual from Australia _

Behind him, Ivan stumbled out of the room, kicking aside a chair that got in his way. Yao ran down the steps two at a time, nearly falling down halfway. He heard the other boy thumping down the stairs- each step sounding as loud as a pile driver.

The deadbolt on the front door resisted Yao's frantic, fumbling fingers for a minute. Then, just as Ivan grabbed the sleeve of his shirt, he yanked the door open. There was a rip as a chunk of his school-uniform shirt came off in Ivan's hand. Then he was out the door, slamming it behind him.

Yao heard the other boy clumsily working the knob. But he had his key out and managed to unlock his own front door and bang it shut an instant before Ivan's fist crashed down on the solid wood panel with which his brother had replaced their own glass door following a series of neighborhood robberies.

Yao put his eye to the spy hole and saw Ivan standing there, a faraway look in his eyes, his fist rising and falling as he pounded on the door. "best. Friends. Forever." he kept repeating, each syllable back with a thunderous slam. "best. Friends. Forever."

"get away, or I'm calling the police aru. I mean it. I'm calling 911 right now aru."

But the pounding continued. Yao wondered how long the door would hold. He picked up the hall phone and dialed the emergency number.

"Someone's trying to get into the house to hurt me aru. He's my friend, but he's gone crazy aru!"

The dispatcher quickly verified the address and promised that the police would be there in a matter of minutes.

The front door burst open.

Heavy footsteps were coming down the hall as Yao fled to the kitchen at the back of the house. To his dismay, he realized his brother had double locked the inner door between the kitchen and laundry room, as well as the outer door that led to the backyard.

Spinning like a trapped creature, he tried to decide what to do next. His own bedroom was a few feet away, but there was no lock on his door.

Suddenly it was too late. Ivan was shuffling through the doorway from the hall. His hand was outstretched, half pleading, half threading: "best friends forever."

"no way aru!" screeched Yao. He picked up the first thing that came to his hand: the Shitanny-chan doll Ivan had given to him the day before. Flinging it at the other boys chest, he shouted "leave me alone aru!"

The doll hit Ivan with a thump. The boy looked down and picked up the doll, it's stuffing slightly poking out. He stared at it stupidly for a minute. Then, still holding the book, he backed into the shadowy hallway.

Yao, breathing heavily, clung to the kitchen counter, feeling as though he might just pass out. From far away, he heard the sound of police sirens. A moment later, there were shouts out the front, as two officers, guns drawn, pushed past the door that was hanging crookedly from twisted hinges.

There was no sign of Ivan. The torn doll lay in the hall. After the officers had calmed Yao down and secured the lower flat, the cautiously went upstairs in search of the other boy. A few minutes later, they returned to report that the upstairs flat was empty.

They had just begun to question the boy about the afternoon's events, when Kaoru Wang returned. "hat on earth is going on? Yao, are you alright?" he asked, placing his hand on his brothers shoulder.

"it was Ivan aru," Yao said, tears pouring down his cheeks. "he wanted to hurt me aru. I think he went crazy. And now he's gone aru. But I'm afraid he'll come back and try to hurt me again aru."

"Yao," he said, smoothing his hair, "I don't know what's been going on here, but Ivan couldn't have done this. Ivan couldn't even hurt you even if he wanted to. I got a call about and hour ago. Ivan and his sisters were killed this morning in a plane crash."

Okay, so that's the end, R&R, etc. etc.

Thank you for wasting your time on this. I'm thinking of making another one of Mr. Souci's stories into a hetalia fan fic.

I'm stuck in-between 'the quilt' which will be about America (Alfred F. Jones) in which Alfred gets an antique quilt and is chosen to be in a coven of witches and junk. (do they have guys in covens? If not it will be fem!America)

Or 'circus dreams' which will feature Romano (Lovino Vargas) and will be about Romano finding a box at the site of a fair that has left, and the thing inside kills people he hates. So it kills some people.

Or I might drop all the ideas all together, you decide and tell me what you think.

Bye~


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